Corruption in India remains a pervasive challenge, affecting businesses at every level. Despite ongoing reforms and promises of transparency, many entrepreneurs still find themselves navigating a system where bribes often serve as the only way forward.
A startup founder recently shared their frustrating experience with GST registration, highlighting how inefficiency and corruption can cripple small businesses. In a detailed Reddit post, they described how their application was stuck for 63 days, with no updates or responses — until a ₹5,000 bribe miraculously sped up the process overnight.
“So, here’s a little incident from my startup journey that completely shattered my faith in how this country functions,” the founder wrote. “I filed my GST registration and, like a naive idiot, expected it to be processed in a reasonable time. Guess what? 18 days passed after filing a clarification, and still NOTHING.”
When the user decided to visit the GST office in person, reality hit hard. Officials showed no urgency, and one even justified bribes, saying, "Hamari bhi chai-pani ka kharcha hai, salary se kya hota hai." (We need bribes to survive; our salaries aren’t enough.)
Faced with the choice of either fighting an uphill battle or paying up, the founder reluctantly handed over ₹5,000. The result? The GST registration was approved the very next day. “Amazing efficiency, right? If only the government functioned as smoothly as these under-the-table transactions,” they wrote sarcastically.
Reflecting on the ordeal, the entrepreneur lamented the time lost. “From company registration to GST approval, the entire process took 63 freaking days. And this is what’s supposed to make India a ‘business-friendly country’? This is how we’re gonna ‘beat China and Vietnam’? Give me a break.”
Disillusioned by the system, the founder even hinted at relocating their business. “I never thought I’d say this, but once my business scales, I’ll be looking at Vietnam or UAE. Not because I want to leave, but because I might not have a choice.”
Signing off with frustration and resignation, they concluded, “God bless our future. Because if things don’t change, we’re gonna need all the blessings we can get.”